Sprinkler stopper



April 5, 1949. s. SIEGEL 2,466,126

SPRINKLER S TOPPER Filed April 8, 1946 l5] h I Patented Apr. 5, 1949 l'SPRINK-LER STOBPER Samuel Siegel, Lynchburg, 'Va., assignor of onehalf to Benjamin Schewel and Bertram R.

Schewel, Lynchburg, Va.

Application April :8, 1946, .Serial No. 660,522

8 Claims. 1

This invention relates to emergency stoppers for sprinkler heads in fire sprinklersystems.

The heat actuated sprinkler heads .in fire extinguishing spray systems of the overhead pipe line type sometimes become opened by other causes than by heat from fire. Naturally when this happens considerable damage from the water spraying forth results. Therefore, it isimportant to provide some emergency arrangement for plugging the water outlet of a prematurely or accidentally opened sprinkler head until another fusible connection can be installed to hold the valve in the head closed. Accordingly, one-:of the objects of the invention is to provide a novel readily applied emergency stopper for tightly sealing such prematurely openedsprinkler heads.

Another object is to provide a novel device for inserting a novel emergency stopper in the overhead sprinkler head to seal off the escaping water.

A further object is to provide, as .an article of manufacture, an emergency stopper of light weight and durable :material adapted to last .indefinitely for continued use as a stopper until the emergency condition has been corrected.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed description when read with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein;

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the novel emergency stopper.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross section view of the stopper.

Figure 3 is a view elevation.

Figure 4 shows plan and side views of arnovel fluid sealing gasket used in the stopper structure.

Figure 5 shows a side elevation of the novel stopper supported by a novel bracket device used for inserting the stopper through the yoke of :1 sprinkler head; and

Figure 6 is an end view looking :from the tapered end of the stopper back through the yoke as it appears when inserted in the yoke by the attaching bracket.

Referring to the drawings andfirst :withparticular reference to Figures 1, :2, and 3, there is shown the novel emergency .fiuid sealing wedge assembled and ready to be applied to a sprinkler head. The body of the wedge comprises a rectangular frame In of light weight material such as aluminum having sloping side walls I I and I2, and end walls l3 and M.

The end wall I3 is relatively higher than the end wall I4 and thus the side walls slope downwardly from the top of end walls l3 to the top of wall HI to give the appearance of ..a wedge.

The side walls .H and 12 have inwardly extending flanges l5 and l6, respectively, with enlarged portions I9 adjacent the shorter end wall l4. These flanges have a narrow elongated slot of the same in top plan 2 between'their top as shown in Figures? "and 32nd a rectangular opening of much greater widthibetween the side walls at the'bottom for the purposeto be hereinafter explained.

The enlarged portions 19 of the fflanges have aligned openings therein and through these openings extendsa hinge pin "20. :Pivoted on the hinge pin '20 is a stopper 2|. The stopper 21 is triangular in shape so that its top edge "22 slopes in the same direction with the top edges of the sloping side walls T3 and M for the entire "length of the slot between the flanges 1.5 and I6 of the side walls. "This edge '22 maybe provided'with a longitudinal groove, which groove'serves to 000perate with the inner end of a stud A, which holds the spray baflle on the usual sprinkler head yoke B. A portion of the bottom edge of the stopper 2| ,is formed with a flat head 2E1, Which-is of the general appearance .of a hammer head. As the stopper 2| is "shorter than the rectanglflar space defined by the-walls of the frame 10,11; has free pivotal movement on the hinge pin'20.

Secured to the underside of the frame J0 by bolts orscrews 2'4 and '25 threaded into threaded openings in the bottom edge of .eachend wall 13 and M, respectively, is an aluminum plate 2.6 with a rectangular opening. Clamped between this plate .26 .and the bottom edges of the frame 10 is soft rubber plate or gasket 21.

This rubber plate 21- is preferably molded, so .as to provide a relatively thicker centrally positioned pad .28, which substantially equals the thickness of the metal .clamp .plate 26 .and is of a length and breadth such as to fit and fill in the rectangular opening in the plate 26. Thus the flat head portion 23 of the freely pivoted stopper 21 rests upon the soft rubber pad 21 which "pad, due its thickness normally holds the top sloping edge 22 :of the stopper 2! in slightly elevated position above the sloping itop ed es of .theside walls 'H and 112. Accordingly, .if the fusible metal .of a sprinkler head LS0 gives way accidentally, then the frame It with the slightly.elevatedstopper'2I may be slid into the yoke 13 of a sprinkler head 30 .so the inner end of stud 3 projects into the groove along edge 22 of the stopper, as shown in Figure :5. This causes a wedginga-ction between the end of the-spray ba file stud A oft-he sprinkler head and the sloping-groove in the top edge 22 of the stopper 21, whereby the flat head'23 is pressed down on the soft rubber'pa'd portion 28 and seals it tightly over the water outlet '32 of thesprinkler head.

.As shownin Figures 15 and .6, a novel bracketfifi may .be used to insert the emergency stopper into the sprinkler head yoke B. To provide for used the bracket 35 the end wall 13 contains a threaded opening 36, see Figures 3 and 5. Into this opening a thumb screw 31 carried by the bracket is threaded so as to attach the wall l3 to the bracket. a V

The bracket 35 iscurved so as to be ofiset from and go around the usual overhead water pipes 38 and has a flattened end 39 with a threaded opening for the thumb screw 31. This flat end 39 seats flush against the end wall I3 when the thumb screw connects the bracketto the emergency stopper frame In. The other end of the bracket contains a socket 40 adapted to receive a handle 4| of any desired length.

Thus, I have provided a novel emergency stopper for thermally actuated fire sprinkler systems, which is of light weight durable material, such as aluminum with a rubber sealing pad, which can be easily and quickly inserted into a yoke on a sprinkler head to seal an open water outlet therein. Also, I have provideda novel device adapted to facilitate the insertion of my novel emergency stopper through the usual sprinkler head yoke quickly and expeditiously.

Without further description it is thought that the above and other advantages of this invention will be apparent, and it is to be understood that although only one embodiment of the invention is illustrated, the same is readily capable of various other specifically different embodiments within its spirit and scope as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An emergency device for sprinkler heads with a yoke comprising a wedge-shaped body with an elongated opening extending through the same from top to bottom, a stopper pivoted in the body in the opening, a sealing plate having a rubber pad portion secured to the bottom of the body overthe said opening, and means carried by said stopper adapted to engage and press the pad portion of said rubber plate down tightly over a water outlet when the said body is wedged into the sprinkler head yoke.

2. An emergency fluid sealing wedge for fire sprinkler heads comprising a rectangular frame having end walls of different heights and side walls sloping from one end wall to the other, a pivoted member between the said side walls, a flat head carried by said pivoted member and a rubber pad mounted on the frame below said pivoted member upon which said head is adapted to restby gravity, said member having a top sloping edge projecting above the top edges of said side walls, whereby upon insertion in a sprinkler head said member is forced downward so that the said flat head presses the rubber pad down over the water outlet of the sprinkler head.

3. An emergency fluid sealing wedge for fire sprinkler heads comprising a rectangular frame having end walls of difierent heights and side walls sloping from one end wall to the other, a pivoted member between the said side walls, a flat head carried by said pivoted member, a rubber pad mounted on the frame below said pivoted member upon which said head is adapted to rest by gravity, said member having a top sloping edge projecting above the top edges of said side walls, whereby upon insertion in a sprinkler head yoke said member is forced downward so that the said flat head presses the rubber pad down over the water outlet of the sprinkler head, and an opening in the highest end wall of the wedge to provide for attachment of the wedge to a bracket for inserting the same into a sprinkler-head yoke of an overhead sprinkler system.

4. In combination with heat operated spray heads for fire extinguisher systems wherein said heads include a yoke above the water'outlet and a stud extending through the yoke at the top, an emergency stopper comprising a wedge-shaped triangular frame, a pivoted member in said frame having a top edge with a groove therein adapted to be engaged by said stud when the frame is inserted in the yoke, and a sealing gasket mounted across the bottom of the frame adapted to be pressed tightly over the water outlet by said pivoted member as the grooved top edge is moved along'under the stud in the sprinkler head yoke.

5. An emergency closure device for sprinkler heads with a yoke, comprising, a wedge-shaped body with an elongated opening extending through the same from top to bottom, a stopper pivoted in the body in the opening, a sealing'plate having a rubber pad portion secured to the bottom of the body over the said opening, and a head carried by said stopper adapted to engage and press the said'pad portion of said sealing plate: down tightly over a water outlet when the said body is wedged into a sprinkler: head yoke.

6. An emergency closure device for sprinkler heads with a yoke, comprising, a wedge-shaped body formed with an elongated opening extending therethrough from top to bottom, a member pivoted to-the body in said opening, and a sealing gasket mounted over the bottom of said opening adapted to be engaged by said member and pressed into fluid sealing connection over a sprinkler head outlet when said device is inserted in the sprinkler yoke.

7. An emergency closure device for sprinkler heads with a yoke, comprising, a wedge-shaped body formed with an elongated opening extending therethrough from top to bottom, a member pivoted to the body in said opening, a flat head formed from the bottom of said pivoted member, and a yieldable resilient member mountedover the bottom of said wedge-shaped body adapted to be pressed by the flat head of said pivoted member into fluid sealing contact over the outlet pipe of a sprinkler head when said'member is wedged under the yoke of the said head.

8. An emergency closure device for sprinkler heads, including, a yoke above the water outlet and a stud for the spray baflle, comprising, a wedge shaped body having an elongated opening extending vertically therethrough from top to bottom, a stopper member pivoted to the body and having an upper portion exposed through the top of the opening and having a head on its bottom portion movable relative to the bottom of the opening, whereby, when the wedge shaped body is pushed into the yoke of the sprinkler head, the upper portion of the stopper member engages the said stud of the spray bafile, and pushes the stopper downwardly in theopening so that its head moves toward the water outlet.

V SAMUEL SIEGEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in" the file of this patent:

STATES PATENTS 1 Number Dat 

